The Lakers have won 16 consecutive games against Minnesota, dating back to 2007, but the current Rick Adelman-coached squad is easily the best team the Wolves have had since Kevin Garnett roamed around Minneapolis.

Minnesota (18-17) has already won more games than it did in the full 2010-11 season (17-65), and this season has beaten the Clippers, Mavericks and Rockets on the road … even if they again lost to L.A. 106-101 at home on Jan. 29. To preview Wednesday evening’s game at Staples Center – in which it now appears Kobe Bryant may play – we dialed up Wolves color analyst Jim Petersen.